Family : Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes) , subfamily: Acanthurinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Elongate surgeonfish
Fish Name : Acanthurus mata
Max size : 50.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 3145)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 5 - 100 m
Climate : tropical; 23 - 28°C; 32°N - 24°S
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.219; Tmax=23)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Natal, South Africa and east to the Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-26; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 23-24. Body brown; head banded; fins brown. Capable of changing color to pale bluish overall. Behind eye a yellow area and 2 yellow bands extending anterior from eye. A single, sharp, forward-pointing erectile spine which folds down into a horizontal groove on each side of the caudal peduncle; spine in white sheath. Gill rakers 13-15 in both anterior and posterior rows. Scales minute.
Biology : Inhabit steep slopes, often in turbid waters, generally in the vicinity of coral reefs (Ref. 58652) or rocky bottoms. Form resident spawning aggregations (Ref. 27825, 48637). Adults often seen in schools, feeding mid-water on plankton (Ref. 48637). Feed on zooplankton. Marketed fresh. Flesh is almost never poisonous (Ref. 4795)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : venomous , Halstead, B.W.. 1980
Coordinator : Randall, John E.
Main Ref : Randall, J.E.. 1987. (Ref. 1921)

India country information
Common Names : പല, പാള, Bluelined surgeonfish, Pala
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses